CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A woman who lives next door to the church where a fire chief says foster kids were living in the basement says the teens would constantly run away.
The fire marshal issued five citations to Now Faith Apostolic Church on Rex Road for the unusual living arrangement.
Neighbor Aquevia Davis says she never used to see kids morning and night at the church.
“And then I started seeing kids and I’m like this is church property,” she told Channel 2’s Tom Jones on Channel 2 Action News at 5 p.m.
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Then Davis saw the kids with backpacks.
“I see school buses pulling up. So, that was, you know, that was like, what? Why is the school bus pulling up to the church?” she said.
Clayton County’s fire chief says the foster kids were living at the church. Emergency crews went to there Tuesday because of an incident.
They noticed nine boys and three girls in foster care living in the basement. Fire Chief Tim Sweat says that’s a major problem.
“The structure is not designed to be a dwelling residence,” he said.
The teens were removed due to the potential safety hazard.
The fire marshal issued the church citations for not having the requirements for a boarding home, not having fire alarms, no fire extinguishers and no sprinklers.
Channel 2 learned the teens were moved from a boarding home in Riverdale after it experienced plumbing issues.
“I just know that it was a disturbance of my peace,” Davis said.
She says the church had a rough time controlling the kids. They would use her yard as a cut-through, and they would curse and get loud.
“I’ve seen kids running away from this place with their bags and stuff. I’ve seen kids having full on arguments with adults that live there,” she said.
Davis says she was close to confronting the pastor about the teens.
“I was going to put a note in the church’s mailbox and say, ‘Pastor, please,’” she said.
Jones was unable to reach the church’s pastor.
Channel 2 wanted to know if the Department of Family and Children Services knew about the kids living in the basement. A spokesperson sent a statement that says because of state and federal law it couldn’t comment.
Jones talked to a teen who says he lived in the basement. He says his case manager was aware they were living at the church and approved of the living arrangements.
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